Local Irish Dancers Compete at NA Irish Dance Championships
By ELMA MELHUS
VANCOUVER - The North American Irish Dance Championships took place on July 1-6 in Philadelphia. The competition had over 3,200 dancers entered from Ireland, England, Scotland, Australia, Canada and the United States. All dancers competed within their age category and the average group consisted of 150 competitors, all of who had to qualify within their own region.
The Penk-O’Donnell School of Irish Dance, with classes in North Vancouver, Coquitlam, and Fort McMurray, had 33 qualifying dancers entered in the competition. Of those qualified, 21 dancers received a recall to dance in the third round, meaning they were in the top 50 percent of dancers in their age group.
YVONNE LYNCH of Coquitlam is shown above with Deirdre Penk-O’Donnell.
 |
Nine dancers received a top 20 placement, with five placed in the top 10. Yvonne Lynch of Coquitlam placed in the top five for the first time with a finish of fourth place in the Ladies Under 18 category. Bronagh Rogan, also from Coquitlam, received a ninth place finish in the Ladies Under 16 group. Robbie Wilbur (Sechelt) had his first top 10 finish placing tenth in the Boys Under 14 age group.
Christina Perry (North Vancouver) finished thirteenth in the Girls Under 14. In the Girls Under 17, Emma Cronin (North Vancouver) finished seventeenth and Rosie Wilbur (Sechelt) finished twenty-first.
Some additional highlights from the school include Catherine Gallagher (Fort McMurray), last year's Champion in the Under 13 age group, was fourth this year in the Under 14 category. First place in her competition went to the current World Champion from Scotland.
Kahylin Kelly (Fort McMcurray) finished sixth place in the Girls Under 13 competition. Sara Gourlay (Burnaby) finished in twelfth place in the Girls Under 14 and Candice Corrigan placed seventeenth in the Girls Under 13. Jessica Gallagher (Fort McMurray) placed twenth-first in the Girls Under 12.
Other dancers from the school to medal were Gabrielle Corrigan, Heather Rumball, Chanel Parsons, Lizzie Munroe, Lara Brewster, Hannah Ingham, Katie McIntyre, Kaleigh Jeffers, Caitlin McAuley and Kelly Crozier.
*
For more information about the Penk-O'Donnell School of Irish Dance, call (604) 921-0700 or visit www.penkodonnell.com.
|
